


Secret for the Mad

by platfxrm934



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mental Institution, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Angst, Anorexia, Anxiety, Artist Sirius Black, Bipolar Disorder, Bisexual Remus Lupin, Depression, Eating Disorders, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Sirius Black, M/M, Marauders, Marauders' Era, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Social Anxiety, Writer Remus Lupin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-10-12 05:06:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10482741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/platfxrm934/pseuds/platfxrm934
Summary: Remus Lupin is admitted to the Hogwarts Mental Health Ward, and meets a group of very interesting people.





	1. Chapter 1

The bed was a prison, and he was its convict. He struggled for warmth underneath the icy sheets as the light of the rising sun shined through the dusty blinds. The hurried footsteps of nurses could be heard from outside of the room. A fourteen year old girl with acute schizophrenia had sunk into a fit of panic, the auditory hallucinations growing increasingly worse. Her screams could be heard from the end of the hallway, as a team came to take her away, kicking and screaming. This, though uncommon, was not an unheard of occurrence, he had been told by his counselor later that day.

It was, based on how much the sun had risen, likely almost 7 AM. Psychiatric techs would soon come to wake him, meaning there was no point of any attempt to sleep any longer. He sat up, listening to the soft snores of his roommate, envious of the boy’s ability to sleep so peacefully. 

Knocks came sooner than expected, informing the entire floor of breakfast in thirty minutes. Remus allowed himself to sit in bed for ten more minutes, the only time, he assumed, he would have to be truly alone for the next 14 hours. He could hear the sleepless groans of his roommate, as he dragged himself out of the cramped hospital bed. Remus glanced over as the stranger yanked open the curtain separating the two sides of the room. “Stop looking at me,” the boy snapped. Remus quickly looked away, flattening the sheets on top of his impossibly uncomfortable mattress. Slipping on a sweatshirt and a pair of laceless gym shoes, the other boy left the room. Remus followed soon after. They lined up along the wall, waiting to be paraded down to the cafeteria. 

Group therapy was at 8:30. He and a group of three other teenagers, ages 14 to 18, were set to meet everyday, twice a day. “Everybody, take a seat,” Dr. Sprout, a counselor who specialized in group therapy spoke. Remus had briefly met her in passing the day before. “As many of you may have noticed, we have a new member. I expect you all to treat him with kindness and respect. Now, as with every new member, I would like each of you to state your name, your age, and explain why you are here.” 

An willowy brunette named Alice smiled warmly at him. She was 15. She was anorexic and had a nasty habit of “popping pills”, as she had stated. Remus took a mental note to befriend her. 

Then was Frank, who Remus immediately recognized as the boy he shared his room with, was there for depression, general anxiety, and panic disorder. He was seventeen, just a few months older than Remus. He seemed nice. 

“Sirius,” a strikingly handsome boy spoke, flashing an enticing grin at him. Remus could suddenly feel his heart beating inside of his chest. “Seventeen years old.”

“Care to elaborate, Mr. Black?” Sprout encouraged.

“I’m good.”

“Alright… Now, Remus. Tell us about you,” insisted Dr. Sprout.

“Um… I’m Remus. I’m seventeen, and I don’t really know what’s wrong with me.”

“Why were you admitted?” she pried.

“Suicide attempt.”

“Well, welcome Remus.” It was all very mundane. They set daily goals. Remus’ were to read his book and introduce himself to three new people. Group closed. All but Alice, who was moved to another office to have her vitals checked, were led to the common room. Remus sat on the couch. Sirius sat next to him. 

“Hi,” Sirius huffed.

“Um…” Remus fidgeted with his hands. “Hi.”

“I’m Sirius.”

“Remus.”

“There. Now you only have two more introductions left today.” Sirius winked at him. Remus felt his insides melt.

"Yeah..."


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how to write long fics I'm so sorry it's been like 4 years but I'll try my hardest to continue lol.

“I have looked over your files and taken into consideration all that you me yesterday when you were admitted, Mr. Lupin,” Dr. McGonagall said, flipping through a large stack of papers which Remus assumed had concluded were his ‘files’, as the woman had mentioned earlier. “And I have narrowed down your symptoms to one possible cause.”

“And?”

“I have been made to believe that you are suffering from a condition called manic-depressive, or bipolar, disorder.”

“So I’m crazy. That’s what you’re saying.”

“Not at all, Mr. Lupin-”

“It’s Remus.”

“Alright. Remus, you are ill; you are not crazy. Bipolar disorder is an occurrence within the brain in which there is a chemical imbalance within your central nervous system which leads to abnormal mood swings. This, however, does not define you, and if we are able to get you on the right track for treatment now, it is very possible that you will be able to live a perfectly normal life.”

“What kind of treatment?”

“Behavioral therapy, group counseling, medication; it all comes down to what works for you.”

“Alright…”

“I do believe you have been spoken to regarding the rules here at Hogwarts Facility of Mental Health: no physical touch between you and other patients or visitors, no foreign or unapproved items-”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Perfect. And it is also to my understanding that you are aware of our scheduling on a daily basis?”

“Yes.”

“Now, Remus, do you have any other questions for me?”

“Nope.”

“Alright. We will begin treatment with a 0.5 mg dosage of Risperdal twice daily, and slowly increase from there. Oh, and I have a few handouts about your disorder for you. I would recommend that you read them. They have been very helpful with patients in the past.” The aging woman pulled out five loose sheets of paper, unstapled, from her steel filing cabinet. Remus took them. 

“Can I leave now?” he asked, folding the pile of papers. 

“Yes. Mr. Slughorn will guide you back to the common area now.”

Remus nodded his head with uncertainty, standing from his chair and following the plump, balding man back to the windowed area where he met the boy with the long dark hair. Sirius was back on the couch when he entered the room. Remus sat next to him. “So…” Remus said with hesitation. 

“I drew you something.”

“You drew me something?” Sirius pulled a wrinkled piece of construction paper from his back pocket and handed it to the boy. ‘R E M U S’ was written in block letters with an arrangement of crayons. Scribbled underneath was a note. “Founder of Rome, raised by wolves.”

“My friend James bought me a name book for my birthday. It’s been keeping me sane these past few weeks.”

“So how long have you been here?”

“I came in end of April, and it’s July now, so about two months now.”

“Pretty shitty way to spend the summer, huh?”

“Tell me about it. Have they given you an expected release date?”

“No… Is that a bad thing?”

“Nah, you can’t trust them anyway. They told me I’d be out by the end of May, and lo and behold, here I am.”

“That sounds awful.”

“Better than the home I was in before I was admitted.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m in the foster care system. I won’t go much into my depressing past, but my bio parents were abusive drug-heads and so I’ve been hopping family-to-family since I was 13. Not many nice families seem to want to bring in the seventeen year old delinquent with a violent past. I’m almost convinced they’ll just keep me here until I turn 18 and then will throw me out onto the streets.”

“Oh… Well that really sucks. I’m-”

“No need for sympathy here, Remus. We’re all fucked up.”

“Yeah, I guess…”

“So… What’s life like outside of this hell hole for you? Any girls in your life?”

“I mean, I have a friend, Lily, but I don’t think she’s the kind of ‘girl’ you’re talking about. How about you?”

“Well..." Sirius let out a small chuckle. "I am a flaming homosexual, but my last boyfriend dumped me after my most recent meltdown. Guess it was too much for him.”

“Well, who needs him? The people that care for us indefinitely, without question, are the ones we should focus on.”

“Wise words, Remus.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is simply a trial run for this fic to see if, 1, I will enjoy it, and 2, if anyone else will enjoy it. If I continue writing, the next chapters will be longer.


End file.
